Apparatus for actuating by means of auxiliary engines, devices such as the rudders of aeroplanes, ships, and the like



1.1. MIA. E. SCHNEIDER. APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING BY MEANS 0F AuxlLiARY ENGlN.Es,DEv|cEs suc H As THE RUDDERS oF AEROPLANES, sHlPs, AND THEUKE. 1;865,347.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10| 1920. Patented Jan. 11, 19,21`

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

` ff l? A l I l Wfl/A5?) ///A I. I.'M. A, E.' SCHNEIDER. APPARATUS FOR AcTuATlNG BY MEANS or AuxlLIARv ENG|NEs,nEv|cEs sucH-As THE v RUDDERS 0F A EROP-LA'NES, SHIPS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLIcATloII FILED MAY 10, 19'20.

1,365,347. l Patented Jan. 11,1921.

APPARATUS FOR A 1.1. M. A. E. SCHNEIDER. cTuATING BY MEANS 0F AUXILIARY ENG|NEs,nEv|cEs sucH As THE RUDDERS OF AEROPLANES, SHIPS,` AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION min MAY lo, 1920.

Patentedv Jan. 1'1, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN JULES MARTE ANTOINE EUGENE SCHNEIDER, oF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR ACTUAI'ING- BY MEANS OF AUXILIARY ENGINES, DEVICES SUCH AS THE RUDDERS 0F AEROPLANES, SHIPS, AND lTHE-LIKE.

' Application filed May 10,

means of auxiliary engines, devices such as the rudders or" aeroplanes, ships, and the likewhich invention is fully set forth in-the following specification.

When using auxiliary engines for actuatin-g devices such as the rudders of aeroplanes,

ships and the like, it is very important to reduce to a strict minimumthe consumption of the motive fluid.

The present invention has for its object to provide an 'improved auxiliary engine that will enable this result to be achieved.

For this purpose, the hand-control of the device to be actuated is associated with the hand-control of the motive `fluid distributing mechanism of the auxiliary engine allotted for actuating the'same device, this associa tion being such as to produce ja simultaneous movement of the same extent, of the slide valve and piston of said auxiliary engine so long as the resistance to be overcome by the actuation does not exceed a determined value; the auxiliary engine remaining inoperative up to that moment.

Whereas on the contrary as soon'as the resistance to be overcome exceeds .the sald determined value. the actuatlon of the control lever will produce a relative movement E between the slide valve and the piston of the auxiliary engine and thus cause an admission of fluid into the cylinder of the auxiliary engine. whereby thevl'atter is brought into operation.- v

, In practice, as illustrated in diagram in #Figure l of the accompanying drawings,

the piston B of the auxiliary engine C is coupled directly to the device A to be actu-- ated, whereas the control lever D which is common to the hand control and to the Slide valve E of the auxiliary engine, is independent of the said device and is coupled to the slide valve; springs F, F1 of determined initial tension. being interposed between the slide valve andthe piston. The result is` that the operator by acting upon the control lever D acts also upon the slide valve with ztlconstant-tendency to compress one or the other of the-interposed springs accord- 1920. Serial o. 380,261.

ing to the direction of the movement. But, if the resistance coupled by means of A to the piston of the auxiliary engine is smaller than the force necessary to compress the springs, the operator will through themedium of the slide valve and the non-com- Specification of Letters Patent. Patellted Jan. 11, 1921.

pressed springsfmove the piston B oftheauxiliary engine as well as the device A to be actuated. If, on the contrary, the resistance coupled to the piston B is greater than the force necessary for compressing the springinterp'osed between the slide valvev v and the piston of the auxiliary engine, the operation of the control lever D will produce first the said vcompression which has for effect to cause a relative movement between the slide valve E .of the auxiliary engine and the piston which has -not yet been moved. This relative movement will produce an admission of the motive Huid upon oneif the faces of the said piston, and consequently bring the auxiliary engine into action.

A constructional form of this invention is illustrated by way of example in Figs. 2te 9 of the accompanying drawings where:

Com lementary Figs. 2 and 2a are longitudinalpsections .of a compressed air auxil' -iary engine constructedfaccording to this invention, designed for actuating for instance the horizontal-rudders of an aeroplane.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross sections respectively on the lines III-III, IV-IV and V-V of Fig. 2. y

Fig. 6 is a partial horizontal Section 0n the line VI-VIEO Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a partial section on a4 larger scale corresponding toFig.` 2.

Figs. 8 and` 9 are sections similar to Fig. 7 showing however the parts in other positions of operation.

In these igures,A is the device to vbe actuated, such as a shaft or the post of a rudder which is intended to receive angular Inotion.; The piston B working -in the cylinder C of the auxiliary engine is coupled to the said device. For this purpose the tubular piston rod B1 is provided at one end outside the cylinder with a socket B2, to the trunnions b2 of which are jointed short connecting rods G which are jointed at their other ends to levers` H fixed on the shaft A. By this connection any movement of thepiston VB will cause the shaft A to rotate around its axis.

D is the control lever; it '1s loose on the shaft A and is coupled to the slide valve E of the auxiliary engine. In the example shown, this coupling consists of a connecting rod I jointed at one end to the said lever around a pin d, and at its other end to a pin y' mounted in a fork J which can slide on an extension K of the rod E1 of the slide valve E. This extension K is guided in a partition B3 formed in the socket B2 of thepiston rod. This partition which is a fixed point of the piston rod, constitutes one of the abutments of the springs F, F1 interposed between the piston B and the slide valve E. One of these springs F has its other abutment on the fork J which bears in its turn against a stop nut K1 that allows of adjusting the initial tension of the springs. The other sprin F1 has its second abutment on a shoulder 2 formed on the rod extension K. In this way is formed a limited slip-joint between the valve-stem and the piston-rodthat is normally held extended by the springs F F1, thereby constituting a limited yieldin connection between the Valve land piston t at permits limited relative movements of said members.

The slide valve E fitted in the tubular piston rod, is able to move therein, and its stroke is limited toward the right hand by the shoulder K2 abuttin against the shoulders b1 of the said rod 1.

The distribution is effected by the positions of the ports in the slide valve rela tively to the ports in the piston rod, the latter comprising the tubular element B1 that envelops the slide valve and carries the piston B; and an axial tubular element M fitted in the cavity of the slide valve and fixed to the rod B1 by a p'artition M1. This element is closed 'at both ends; it is guided in a fixed casing N into which the compressed air supply duct opens at n. The ,air entering the said casing is able to pass into the axial element M of the piston rod through apertures m. By means of two rows of apertures m1 and m2 in this tubular' axial element, the air is able, when the slide valve .is occupying the desired position rela'- tively to the said element, to pass through apertures e or e1 or e2 or es of the slide valve. At its forward 'end the slide valve is in constant connection, by its cavity e* into which the apertures e3 open, with an aperture m3, and thence with the exhaust passage which is formed by the sheath Q fixed to the cylinder (1 At the rear end the exhaust can take place through an aperture e5 in the end of the slide valve and the tubular piston rod. The improved apparatus operates as follows:

At rest, the parts occupy the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 7j situated opposite a solid portion of the slide valve.

If the control lever DA be operated toward theright, it will first turn idly around the shaft A; but it immediately carries around with it the connecting rod I and through the latter the fork J, tending to compress the spring F between it and the partion B3 coupled to the resisting device. If the resistance of this device is smaller than the force required to compress the spring F, the fork J immediately on beginning to compress the said spring, will more with it the partition B3, that is to say, the piston B and through the latter, the coupling H-H and the shaft A. The piston and the slide valve thus move simultaneously and substantially to the same extent. In any case Ltheir relative motion is insufiicient to have any effect upon the distribution; the two sides of the piston remain connected with the exhaust. In other words, the control is effected exclusively by hand and without any consumption of motive fluid.

If on starting or at any moment the resistanee ofthe device coupled to the piston is greater than the force necessary tovcom.- press the spring F, the piston B coupled to said device acts as .an abutment by thepartition B3'. The action of the operator upon the lever D has the effect' of compressingl the spring F. and moving with it the ro K-E1 of the slide valve, and consequently the latter. The movement of the slide valve relatively to the piston brings these parts into the relative positions shown in Fig. 8 where the apertures e of the slide valve are situated opposite the apertures m1 and O of the piston rod. The compressed air will thus be admitted through m1-e-O into the left hand space of the cylinder, the right hand space remaining in communication with the exhaust by way of P1, e3, e, m3- From this moment onward the piston B will be moved to the right by the action of the compressed air, and it will carry with it the shaft A throu h the coupling G-l-i. The admission` wilil cease .immediately the movement of the piston relatively to the slide valve will have been such that the apertures 0, m1 are no longer in communication with the apertures e (position shown inzFig. 9); i

compressed air would return the piston into the position shown in Fig. 9. i

Besides, notwithstanding the small extent of covering of the ports e, e1 in this position.

. of equilibrium, the chances of a leakage of the air confined in the left hand space of the cylinder are greatly diminished owing to the arrangement of the slide valve between two sheaths concentric to the piston rod. This air in order to escape is compelled to 4undergo a double wire-drawing, namely, a first wire-drawing between the sheath B1 of the piston rod and the slide valve E in order to pass from P to e1, and a second wire-drawing between the slide valve and the sheath M in order to pass outl of e1, as indicated by the arrows.

This is oneof the subsidiary advanta es of the arrangement of the slide valve E etween an enveloping sheath B1 vformed by the distributing piston rod and an axial sheath M constituting an admission duct, the exhaust taking place likewise axially. This manner of construction is the result ot' the arrangement of springs F, F1 around the rod E1 of the slide valve between stops J, K formed on this rod and a partition B3 formed in the tubular piston rod B1 The grouping of the slide valve, piston rod and springs around the axis of thea-uxiliary engine affords a very great sensibility of the apparatus and a very compact arrangement, While as shown, it reduces the chances of leakage.

It is to be noted that in case the supply of compressed air or other motive luidl A' should happen to stop, the shaft A can still L be actuated by hand. According-to the diboth ca es that end of the cylinder toward which t e piston should move is placed in communicationy with the exhaust.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in'what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is l. In control mechanism for an auxiliary engine, the combination of a cylmder and a In the first piston movable therein by fluid-pressure, said cylinder being provided with supply and exhaust ports for the admission and discharge of the fluid-pressure, an element to be actuated connected with the piston, a valve controlling the supply and exhaust ports of the cylinder and movable with or relatively to the piston, the opening of the ports being unaffected by approximately coextensive movements of the valve and piston and modified by relative movements of said elements, and a controlling lever having a direct connection with the valve and a limited yielding connection with the piston so that movement of said lever will impart approximatelycoextensive movements to the piston and valve within the limits of the yielding connection without affecting the opening of the ports until the resistance of the element to be actuated overcomes the yielding connection with resulting relative movements of the piston and valve anda consequent modification of the opening of the ports to admit fluid-pressure to the cylinder to move the piston and the element to be actuated connected to said piston.

2. In control mechanism for an auxiliary engine, the combination ot' a cylinder and a piston movable therein by fluid-pressure, said cylinder being provided with supply and exhaust ports `for the admission and discharge ot' the fluid-pressure, an element to be actuated connected with the piston, a Valve controlling the supply and exhaust ports of the cylinder and movable with or relatively to the piston, the opening of the ports being unaffected by approximately coextensive movements of the valve and piston and modified by'relative movements of said elements, a controlling lever having a direct connection with the valve and a limited slip-joint connection with the piston, and a spring interposed in the connection between the lever and the piston to extend the slip-joint, movement of said lever operating to move the valve and the piston approximately coextensively without affecting the opening of the ports until the resistance of the element to be actuated compresses the spring with resulting relative movements of the piston and valve and a consequent modifica'- tion of the opening of the ports to admitr fluid-pressure to the cylinder to move the piston and the element to be actuated connected with said piston.

3. In control mechanism for an auxiliary engine, the combination of a cylinder and a piston movable therein by Huid-pressure, a tubular rod attached to the piston and communicating with a source ot fluid-pressure and provided with supply and exhaust ports opening into the cylinder, an element to be actuated connected with `the piston-rod, a valve in the piston-rod Icontrolling said ports, said valve being movable ,with or relatively to the piston-rod, the opening of the ports being unaffected by approximately coextensive movements of the valve and piston-rod and modified by relative movements of said elements, a stem for said valve extending through the tubular piston-rod and having a limited slip-joint connection with the same. a spring interposed between the valve-stem and piston-rod to extend the slip-jointv` and a controlling lever connected with the valve-stem so that movement of said lever will impart approximately coextensive movements to the piston-rod and valve until the resistance of the element to be actuated compresses the spring with resulting relative movements of the pistonrod and valve and a consequent modification of the opening of' the ports to admit fiuidpressure to the cylinder to move the piston and the element to be actuated connected to the piston-rod.

et. ln control mechanism for an auxiliary engine, the combination of a` cylinder and a piston movable therein by fluid-pressure, a tubular rod attached to the piston and provided with supply and exhaust ports opening into the cylinder and having supply and exhaust passages leading to and from said ports, an element to be" actuated connected with the piston-rod, a valve in the piston-rod controlling said ports, said valve being movable with or relatively to the piston-rod. the opening of the ports being unaflected by approximately coextensive movement of the valve and piston-rod and modified by relative movements of said elements, a stem for said valve extending through an abutment across the tubular piston-rod and hav'ing stops on opposite sides of said abutment, springs interposed between said abutme t and the stops normally operating to hold the valve-stem relatively to the pistonrod to position the valve to close the supply ports, and a controlling lever connected with the valve-stem so that movement of said lever will impart approximately coextensive movements of the piston-rod and valve until the resistance of the element to be actuated compresses one or the other of the springs with resulting relative movements of the piston-rod and valve-stem and a consequentk movement of the valve to modify the port openings to admit fluid-pressure to one side or the other of the cylinder to move the piston and the element to be actuated connected to the piston-rod.

5. In control mechanism for an auxiliary engine, the combination of a cylinder and a piston movable therein by fluid-pressure, said cylinder having opposite heads with tubular extensions, a tubular rod attached to the piston and guided in the tubular extensions of the cylinder heads` the tubular piston-rod having supply and exhaust ports opening into the cylinder and proopening of the ports being unaffected by approximately coextensive movements of the valve and piston-rod and modified by relavtive movements ot said elements, a stem for said valve extending through the tubular piston-rod and having a limited slip-joint connection with the same, a spring interposed between stops on the valve-stem and piston-rod to extend normally the slip-joint connection, and a controlling lever connected with the valve-stem so that movement of said lever will impart approximately coextensive movements to the pistonrod and valve until the resistance of the element to be actuated compresses the' spring with resulting relative movements ot' the piston-rod and valve and a consequent modification of the openingof the ports to admit fluid-pressure to the cylinder to move the piston and the element to be actuated connected to the piston-rod.

6. ln control mechanism for an auxiliary engine, the combination of a cylinder and a piston movable therein by fluid-pressure, said cylinder having opposite heads with tubular extensions, a tubular rod attached to the piston and guided in the tubular extension of the cylinder heads, the tubular piston-rod having supply and exhaust ports opening into the cylinder and provided with an exhaust passage leading from the exhaust ports, a casing fixed in the tubular extension of the rear cylinder head and provided with a supply duct, a tubular element fixed in the piston-rod in axial alinement with the same and slidable in the fixed casing, said tubular element forming a conduit for the Huid-pressure from the supply duct in said fixed casing to the supply ports in the piston-rod to the cylinder, a valve in the piston-rod controlling the supply and exhaust ports to the cylinder, said valve being movable with or rela' tively to the piston-rod, the opening of the ports being unaffected by approximately coextensive movements of' the valve and piston rod and modified by relative movements of said elements, a stem for said valve extending through the forward part of the tubular piston-rod and having a limited slipjoint connection with the same, a spring interposed between stops on the valve-stem and piston-rod to extend normally the slipjoint connection, and a controlling lever connected withthe valve-stem so that movement of said lever will impart approximately coextensive movements to the pistonrod and valve until the resistance of' the element to be actuated compresses the spring With resulting relative movement of the pis- In testimony whereof I have signed this ton-rod and valve and a consequent modifI- specification'. cat lon 0f the @Penmg 'of .the Ports to adm JEAN JULEs MARIE ANTOINE EUGENE SCHNEIDER. fluid-pressure to the cyllnder to move the v 5 piston and the element to be actuated con- Witnesses:

nected to the piston-rod. ANDRE. MOSTICKER,

Dated this 30th day of January, 1920. LOUIS GARDET. 

